The situation in the city, the capital of the Kurdish-majority province of Kirkuk, has been deteriorated since Iraqi forces retook the city from Kurdish forces of Peshmerga.

“Besides Islamic State (IS), there are groups affiliated to the political parties, that have interests, are working on destabilizing Kirkuk,” police spokesman Afrasyaw Kamil told Voice of America on Tuesday, February 27.

Attacks and explosions have increased in Kirkuk since the Iraqi forces and Hashid al-Shaabi retook the city from the Kurdish forces in mid-October 2017.

A suicide bomber on Sunday blew himself up in front of headquarters of a Shia militia known as Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq in Kirkuk. Separately, a group attacked a Turkmen headquarters with Rocket-propelled grenade, NRT reported.

Another group also attacked a convoy of police inside the city in the last few days, Kirkuk police spokesman said.

IS killed two Kurdish policemen in Kirkuk on Saturday in a first attack on energy facilities since the militants were driven from the region's towns.

Reporter’s code: 50101